Text 1: The son of Romaharṣaṇa (Sūta or Ugraśravas), delighted at the questions of the sages, respecting their words, began to speak.

Text 2: Sūta said: I offer my respects to the sage Śukadeva, who has entered the mind of all beings, and to whom Vyāsa, his father, cried out with pain of separation “O son!” when Śukadeva, without even undergoing saṁskāras, left home and could not be brought back. Even the trees, being attached to Śukadeva, called out “O son!”

Text 3: I surrender to the son of Vyāsa, the incomparable guru of all the sages, who mercifully spoke the Purāṇa full of hidden meanings, the essence of all the scriptures, the essence of hearing, for all the people of this world, even in the future; who spoke the Bhāgavatam, which revealed the excellence of rasa to Śukadeva, and which is the revealer of ātmā for those desiring to cross dense ignorance with ease.

Text 4: After offering respectful obeisances unto the presiding deities Nara-nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, unto the subject of the work Kṛṣṇa, unto the śakti of the work Sarasvatī, and unto the sage entristed with the work Śrīla Vyāsadeva, one should utter "Jaya."

Text 5: O sages! You have asked good questions about what is beneficial for the world, because you have asked questions all about Kṛṣṇa, by which the intellect is immediately satisfied.

Text 6: The supreme dharma for all human beings (sādhana bhakti) is that by which prema-bhakti to the Lord arises, which is not caused by anything other than itself, cannot be obstructed, and which satisfies the mind completely.

Text 7: Bhakti dedicated to Lord Kṛṣṇa, endowed with special moods, quickly produces detachment from material goals and knowledge of the Lord devoid of the desire for liberation.

Text 8: Varṇāśrama-dharma of the human being, which does not produce attraction for topics of the Lord, is only wasted effort.

Text 9: Material results are not suitable as the goal for the person dedicated to higher spiritual goals. Attainment of material assets is not the desire of the person who is dedicated to the higher path.

Text 10: For one who desires apavarga, sense pleasure attained from enjoying sense objects is not the goal as long as one lives. The goal of life is inquiry into the highest truth. What is accomplished by prescribed duties is not the goal.

Text 11: The knowers of truth call this truth advayam-jñānam, the supreme conscious being, who is called brahman by the jñānīs, Paramātmā by the yogīs and Bhagavān by the devotees.

Text 12: The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service after hearing from guru.

Text 13: O best of the brāhmaṇas! The complete perfection of dharma, according to divisions of varṇāśrama by men, is pleasing the Lord.

Text 14: Therefore, with mind dedicated only to bhakti, devoid of karma and jñāna, one should constantly hear about, glorify and meditate upon the Supreme Lord — the master of the devotees.

Text 15: Who will not develop attraction for topics of the Lord, remembrance of whom, like a sword, will cut the knots of karma?

Text 16: O brāhmaṇas! Attraction for topics concerning Kṛṣṇa will arise by service to the great devotees, followed by faith, by surrender to the feet of the pure guru, and by the desire to hear.

Text 17: Kṛṣṇa, who purifies by the processes of hearing and chanting, who is the benefactor of the devotees who hear about him, enters the hearts of the devotees and destroys their sins.

Text 18: As the impediments to bhakti become generally destroyed by constant service to the devotees and Bhāgavatam, the stage of niṣṭhitā bhakti to Bhagavān, who is praised by the greatest sages, becomes established.

Text 19: The mind becomes unaffected by lust, greed, anger, hatred and illusion which arise form rajas and tamas. Then the mind becomes fixed in the form of the Lord at the stage of āsakti and becomes satisfied.

Text 20: Then the mind becomes joyful and satisfied on attaining rati. Finally prema develops, accompanied by the appearance of complete detachment. The devotee then experiences the Lord’ṣ form, qualities, pastimes, powers and sweetness.

Text 21: Ignorance is cut and all doubts are destroyed. On seeing the Lord in the mind and with the eyes, all karmas are destroyed.

Text 22: Thus the wise constantly perform bhakti - which gives joy to the mind - to Lord Kṛṣṇa with great joy.

Text 23: The one supreme puruṣa, accepting the guṇas of prakṛti known as sattva, rajas and tamas, for creation, maintenance and destruction, is called Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva. The best results for the devotees will come from Viṣṇu with śuddha-sattva body.

Text 24: Smoke is superior to dull wood, and fire, sacred to the Vedas, is superior to smoke. Similarly rajas is superior to tamas, and sattva is superior to rajas, since it is favorable for realizing the Lord.

Text 25: Therefore the ancient sages worshipped Supreme Lord, beyond the material senses, composed of viśuddha-sattva. Those who follow the sages attain liberation in this world.

Text 26: Rejecting the frightful forms Śiva or others devatās, persons desirous of liberation (what to speak of the devotees), without criticizing those devatās, worship the avatāras of Nārāyaṇa.

Text 27: Desirers of progeny and power along with wealth, having natures of rajas and tamas, corresponding to the natures their deities, worship the Pitṛs, Śiva, Brahmā and others.

Text 28-29: Vāsudeva is the purport of the Vedas. Vāsudeva is the object of all sacrifices. Yoga, varṇāśrama, knowledge and austerities are all dependent on Vāsudeva. Bhakti is dependent on Vāsudeva. Prema and liberation are dependent on Vāsudeva.

Text 30: The powerful Lord alone, devoid of material guṇas, previously created this universe by his material energy composed of material guṇas and endowed with cause and effect.

Text 31: The Lord entered into the jīvas covered by the guṇas, manifested by material māyā. He appears to be in contact with the guṇas, but he is strengthened by his spiritual potency.

Text 32: Just as one fire, situated in pieces of wood as its natural place of manifestation, blazes forth as many fires, the one Supreme Lord, the soul of the universe, Paramātmā, situated in all living beings, manifests as many.

Text 33: The Lord as Paramātmā, having entered all the bodies with material sense objects, senses and mind, which have been created by the Lord, makes the jīvas enjoy the sense objects colored by the guṇas.

Text 34: The Lord, creator of the universe, absorbing himself in the forms of various līlāvatāras as devatās, animals and humans, protects the worlds through his role as the controller of sattva-guṇa.